


You're loved

by LFMH021



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Angst, Angst follows me everywhere Im sorry, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot, Post-Kings Rising
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-15
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-08-22 13:06:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8286875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFMH021/pseuds/LFMH021
Summary: Today was the day everyone in palace and in their united kingdom -Verielos- realized how much Laurent truly loved Damen.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Where did this come from? Oh my God, I am so deep in this fandom. I still can't move on with LaMen after three times of reading this series. I don't think I need help though.
> 
> Hope you like it!
> 
> They might be a little out of character, I hope you'd forgive me for that. I tried my very best.

 

“Today marks a year since the battle in Charcy.”

Laurent’s hands stilled with the statement that came out from Damen’s mouth right after stirring his own horse to ride beside Laurent’s own. He kept his eyes on the road. “Yes, I believe it is so.”

“Is that the reason why you suddenly decided we ride out and campaign our unification in small villages of Arles when our original plan for today is to pick apricots and oranges in the palace’s gardens?”

He scoffed. “I am not sentimental like you barbarians, Damianos.”

Damen let out a bemused expression as he gazed at Laurent. “We’ve been married for six months but you still see Akielons as barbarians, what must I do for you to chance such prejudice, dear husband?”

“How about you don’t wear chitons every single day? How could you even ride horses only wearing such?” Laurent’s tone was filled with disbelief and disgust.

Nikandros interjected with. “You’ve done it before.”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Laurent remarked.

“I was just stating a fact. I thought you’re the logical and rational kind of person?”

He continued staring straight ahead as a row of soldiers led them to their third village for the day. “Yes, I am. And I have also not forgotten I wore one before. I merely did so as a sign of Vere and Akielos’ unification. Never will I do it willing and never will it be comfortable. You Akielons disgust me.”

Damen shrugged. “At least it saves us almost an hour of tying laces after laces.”

Laurent smirked. “Do not pretend, Damianos. Untying these laces turn you on.”

He raised his chin proudly when his husband spluttered and fell off his horse in embarrassment and surprise. Three-fourth of the soldiers they brought erupted in laughter. He spared a glance towards Nikandros, and found Jord trying to keep him steady on his horse. The kyros of Delfeur looked like he was about to explode while Jord tried his best to stifle his laughter. Palla was too busy with Lazar to even their conversation.

_Do those two even talk or do they just stare or kiss each other all day?_

The Akielon King was back on his horse after almost a minute. Clearing his throat, he composed himself. “Your comebacks will forever surprise me, Laurent.”

“I shall take that as a compliment.”

“We have arrived, Your Highness, Exalted!” The highest ranking of the soldiers exclaimed.

As he expected, people lined up to smile, wave and try to hold their hands. With his practiced smile plastered on his face, he waved at people and rode his horse gracefully inside the village’s gates. Even the King’s guards were getting the special treatment from the soldiers of the said village.

Glancing at his husband, he couldn’t help the small, genuine smile on his face as a small girl approached Damen and handed him flowers, which the latter accepted with a big smile. He then patted her head. The girl went running back to her father with a big, proud grin on her face.

This was the main purpose of –Verielon, the union of Vere and Akielos. Happiness amongst everyone because of their confidence towards their kings, who have promised them safety, security and prosperity wherein neither Vere or Akielos would rule over the other. Equality, equity and balance would always prevail. Nothing will be implemented without the acceptance of either Vere or Akielos. It was one kingdom, once. It has become one kingdom once again.

A part of their army has done the campaigning in Akielos, and they brought good news  that no casualty happened. Almost everyone has accepted the union. When they first stated their plan to their people, rebellions happened. That was until their marriage. Sincerity was what everyone saw as Damianos of Akielos and Laurent of Vere welcomed each other at Kingsmeet for their marriage.

Seeing as the Kingsmeet was a setting that brought painful memories to both of them whenever it was brought up, they had decided to get married in the said location to fade out the bad memories with blissful ones.

Laurent halted when he heard swords being unsheathed behind him. His eyes widened a fraction when he saw the cuts on Damen’s cheeks. Nikandros and Jord were on guard infront and behind Damen’s horse. He stirred his mane to turn around and approached the Akielon King. “What happened?” He hissed as he gingerly reached up and touch one of the bleeding cuts.

Damen didn’t reply and tightened his hands on his horse’s rein.

“Murderer!” A scratchy voice screamed from the crowd.

He whipped his head towards where he heard the voice.

“Prince-killer!” Another shouted.

“Akielon scum!”

“I have outlawed the phrase ‘Prince-killer’ with the punishment of imprisonment, haven’t I?” He said.

Damen raised a hand to stop him from moving forward. “Let them speak up.”

Frowning, he turned his gaze back to his husband. “But—“

He tensed up when another rock hit Damen’s shoulder. It bounced back to the ground.

A crying woman pushed herself out of the crowd of people and pointed a shaky finger to Damen. “You monster! You were there at the battle of Charcy. You killed six and half a thousand Veretian soldiers under the Regent’s command.” She paused to breathe in and out harshly. “You killed my husband, brothers and son!”

Makedon looked at Damen but the latter just shook his head.

“My son just became a soldier for almost half a year. He promised me he’d come back home, but he didn’t. All because of you!” Another middle-aged woman screamed.

“Damianos is not a monster,” Nikandros hissed.

“He killed thousands! That’s inhuman and inhumane!”

“He’s the best soldier and swordman among everyone in Verielos. And it was war, it meant bloodshed.” Jord tried with his understanding tone.

“Six thousand five hundred were killed. And most of them died with his hands. He could have prevented it.”

“Our King is the kindest man we’ve ever known. He has sacrificed enough—“ Pallas started.

“Yes, even the lives of our loved ones.”

Lazar almost unsheathed his sword and cut the brunette woman’s head in half when the words even Laurent didn’t want to hear were spoken out,

“Wasn’t killing Prince Auguste enough to you? You needed to kill Veretian soldiers too?” An old-looking man growled from their right.

Damen dropped his hold from his warhorse’s rein, and with trembling hands, he placed the flowers and small gifts he received from the villagers inside the saddle bag he had whenever they rode out of the palace.

“Prince-killer.”

“Murderer.”

“Killing machine.”

Nikandros looked away when the Akielon King replaced his lion pin with a soldier’s pin, and then removed the circlet around his head.

“As if this union of the two kingdoms will ever bring them back. They’re dead.”

“I wished Prince Auguste killed him in the battle of Marlas. There wouldn’t have been—“

“Enough!” He raised his voice among all the murmurs.

Damen reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I will go back to the palace, and wait for you in our chambers. I don’t think my presence here would bring any good. I’d bring Nikandros, Pallas and Makedon with me. The rest of the soldiers shall stay with you.”

He frowned. “Damen—“

The Akielon King smiled and shook his head. “I’m alright, Laurent. Don’t worry. I’ve suffered much worse.”

_Because of me. Back when I wanted to kill you so badly._

Not letting emotions control over him, he nodded. “Be careful on the way back. I’d keep you company back in the palace after about three more hours.”

Damen released his hand and turned around. The others followed after him.

Laurent concluded he had never seen Damen so sad. He would never admit this to anyone, but he almost felt like his heart broke with the sight.

 

He was formulating the right words to say to Damen when Jord whispered, “Just what you really want to say, Your Highness. Do not think too deeply about it.”

“The problem with me talking what I really have in mind is that, sometimes, I cannot control my words and they somehow make the situation worse.”

“Cap—Exalted knows you enough to know what you really mean.”

“Did you see his face just when he turned his horse around?” He asked as he stared at the palace, which was just few meters away.

“I did, Your Highness. Even the soldiers noticed. I didn’t even need to command them to restrain the rebels so that you’d punish or reprimand them. The soldiers, themselves, took the liberty to set out and capture them. It was very odd to see such an expression on his face when he’s probably the most optimistic and understanding person most people have met.”

He heaved a sigh when Damen didn’t go out the balcony to greet them, which he usually did whenever Laurent arrived.

“Exalted isn’t there.”

“It feels odd to not be greeted by Exalted as Your Highness arrives.”

“Look, the curtains are not roped. I wonder if he shut himself in the Kings’ chambers.”

“I don’t think I’d have much motivation to go to training if I’d see his expression earlier again. I’d probably just cry in the corner.”

“You idiot, do you really think Exalted would show such a face again in front of us? Even back when he was still just a Crown Prince and King Theomedes was dying, he’d show up with a big smile.”

“There’s a campfire tonight, right? I wonder if Exalted will keep us company.”

_You’re loved, Damianos. You’re loved._

The servants were preparing supper when he entered the palace. They bowed and said in unison, “Your Highness.”

He removed his cape and handed it to Jord. “Where’s Damen?”

“In the Kings’ Chambers, Your Highness.”

“Has he eaten anything since he arrived?”

There was a pause.

“Y-Your High—“

“It’s a question answerable by yes or no,” He interjected.

The head servant bowed. “No, he hasn’t. He told us to tell you otherwise.”

Typical Damen.

“But we have left lunch and supper outside the closed doors, but they were completely untouched. Even the glasses of water, which he occasionally asked for weren’t touched. When N-Nikan—“ She looked at Nikandros uncertainly.

“You may call them by their names.”

“—Nikandros tried to talk him out, he didn’t answer. He’d been inside your chambers ever since they had come back.”

He nodded. “That will do. Do not bring any more food outside the doors, I’ll go there directly to talk to him. I will eat later when I feel hungry. The others may go eat first.”

With that, he turned and walked up the staircase. Turning right, he walked quite awhile again before knocking on the Kings’ Chambers’ door. “Damen?”

He made a silent command towards the two guards to step a little further until he was inside their room. They obediently obliged.

There was no response.

“Damen, open this up. This is my room as much as it is yours.”

“Can I please be left alone tonight?”

“No.”

“How come when _you_ ask for such, I let you do it, but when it comes to _me,_ it’s a no?” It wasn’t anger. It was annoyance and disbelief in his tone.

“Because you’re the kind of person who’ll mellow down even more if you’re left alone. Open this up or I’ll make Makedon break down the doors.”

After few moments, he heard footsteps and then the sound of the door being unlocked. He stepped inside the dark room, and closed the doors behind him with less to no noise at all.

Damen was sitting on the bed with his eyes casted downwards. He hasn’t changed his clothes. From what Laurent could discern, the Akielon King had been in that position since he came back.

The flowers were placed on a vase, though, Laurent noted.

“What are you moping here for? I thought you’d very much like to prepare for the campfire tonight? You’ve been so excited about it, too.”

“I believe Nikandros and Jord can handle it in my behalf.”

He unlaced his Veretian jacket and then swiftly removed it before loosely unlacing his inner shirt. He removed his boots and then approached the bed. “You look exhausted. Let’s get some sleep.”

“I thought you have a treaty to write—“

“It could wait.”

Damen smiled half-heartedly. “That’s a first.”

He smiled and sat beside his husband. “You have contributed to a lot of my first’s. Don’t be surprised.”

The Akielon didn’t offer any reply. He gradually raised his arms and wrapped them around Laurent. He has been so used to Damen’s hugs that he didn’t even tense up. He wrapped his arms around Damen, as well and gently pushed down the latter’s head so that Damen would be leaning his forehead against Laurent’s shoulder. “Let’s sleep?”

Damen clutched his shirt, and nodded—hiding his face and burying his nose in the crook of Laurent’s neck and shoulder.

They laid down the bed still on the same position. Damen closed his eyes and tightened his embrace. Laurent carefully stroked Damen’s hair while rubbing circles around the brunet’s back. In few minutes, the Akielon King has fallen asleep.

He closed his eyes and tightened his arms around his beloved.

_You’re loved, Damen. You’re loved._

He woke up with the sound of thunder. He rubbed his eyes and realized Damen was gone.

Eyes widening, he sat up. Damen never left the bed while Laurent was still asleep, if he needed to do so, he’d either say goodbye first or leave a note. There was none of the two.

There was another crash of thunder outside the balcony.

“A storm. That’s rare,” He whispered and slipped out of bed to look for Damen.

He went out of their chambers. “Where’s Damen?” He asked Lazar, who was currently in shift to guard their room.

“In the infirmary, Your Highness.”

His heart hammered. “Why?”

There was a loud, “Ow!”

“Keep still, Exalted.”

Sighing, he walked to the infirmary, which was just under their own chambers. He entered without knocking and frowned with the sight. Damen’s right hand was wrapped tightly with white cloth with the blood still seeping through. “Mind telling me what I missed?”

“Exalted punched a tree in the middle of the forest with his right hand for about fifteen times. He broke the skin of his hand and then most of his fingers in the process,” Paschal replied.

Damen sat on a stool silently.

They gained some audience. The soliders who were in the campfire, Jord and Nikandros who were probably still trying to learn each other’s languages as much as they could, Pallas and Lazar, Makedon and some few servants.

“What came into your mind to go out in the middle of the night alone? And why did you punch an innocent tree, what did it ever do to you?”

“I had a dream, it was more or less of a nightmare,” Damen whispered.

For Damen to get a nightmare, he must have really felt bad. “You could have woken me up instead of bottling it up and taking it out on a tree.”

“I dreamt that I found out about Kastor’s jealousy against me, and we had an arrangement and deal about it so that it wouldn’t lead to something worse. Peace prevailed in our Kingdom. My father didn’t die. Kastor didn’t turn to the dark side. Jokaste was out of the picture.”

Everyone was silent as he paused.

“I also dreamt that I didn’t kill Auguste.” A sharp intake of breath. “He killed me instead. My subconscious was floating, watching. Kastor became the Crown Prince in my place. Auguste came home to you and became the rightful King. The Regent became just the Regent.”

This was too much. With this trail of thought, Laurent what would come next. “Damen—“

“It was a nightmare because we didn’t meet in my dream. I was just a subconsciousness trailing after you. I hated that emptiness I felt. But it also felt right, because that was the kind of ending that should have happened between Vere and Akielos. Maybe if Auguste won—“

He pulled Damen’s head to his chest and snarled, “Do not continue that sentence, Damianos.”

His heart clenched when he felt hot tears streaming down his husband’s cheeks through his inner shirt. Arms wrapped around his waist and his body shook with Damen’s silent sobs.

Laurent glanced behind him and found hundreds of pairs on them. He wasn’t a fan of public display of affection, however with the pleading look Nikandros was giving him, he knew it had to be done right here, right now.

“You are not a monster.”

Damen clutched a hand on his shirt.

“You are not a murderer.”

A heart-wrenching sob. Soldiers gasped. Nikandros tensed.

“You are not inhuman and inhumane.”

A tremble. Worry was evident on their army’s faces.

“Years ago, all I thought of doing was killing you for parting me from my beloved brother. Years ago, I found the greatest pleasure for the hundreds of lashes I commanded to be inflicted on your back. Years ago, you wearing those golden cuffs and collars were the most amazing thing I’ve ever received. Years ago, I would have never thought I’d let you live for even a year as my slave. And years ago, I fell in love with you.”

Damen stilled in his arms.

He shut down the world, and continued, “It isn’t a monster, murderer and killing machine whenever I look at you. It’s Damianos or Damen of Akielos who love me after everything I’ve done to him; who sacrificed a lot just to stay by my side; who sees me as someone worth loving even if I’m damaged. It’s the Akielon King, who fought by my side even if those fights weren’t even his in the first place; who comforts me whenever I have nightmares; who controls me when I am about to lash out; who gives me hope whenever I feel like I’m about to drown with doubt. It’s my husband who accepted me for who I am; who kisses me every morning and every night just to show me how much special I am to him; and who always smiles to show that it’s just not me anymore, there’s us now.

He intertwined both of their hands and squeezed Damen’s. “I am not easy to handle. I am fragile. I am not as strong as I think. I have been so used to being caged that I still tense up whenever you’re near me. But, Damen,” he paused. “You set me free. And I am happy. I am truly happy being with you and being your husband. I wouldn’t be able to rule Verielos without you. These words will never be enough, but I love you.”

Damen was gazing at him with those warm, bright and beautiful brown eyes of his.

He smiled and released one hand of his to caress a cut on his husband’s cheek. “If I have to choose between a kingdom or you, there’s no need to decide. It’ll always be you. You are loved, Damen. You are loved.”

“Even if I killed Auguste? Even if I’m haunted by the thousands I have killed?” Tears almost spilled down his cheeks when he heard the Akielon King voice crack in sadness, but he pushed them down.

“If Auguste is still alive, and I ask him the same question, he’d answer me with: ‘I want you to be happy, Laurent.’ And Damen, you’re my home. You’re my happiness. ”

Damen shut his eyes with a smile when Laurent leaned down and kissed his forehead.

It was the most beautiful sight their audience has ever seen.

 

Today was the day everyone in the palace realized how much Laurent loved Damianos. There was no doubt as the two kings roamed around the palace’s garden picking berries, apricots and oranges while bickering and laughing.

The Akielon King wore a chiton, the Veretian King wore his laced Veretian clothing. The other brunet, and the other golden-head. The other olive-skinned, and the other fair-skinned. Copper eyes always meet ice blue ones. But on their ring-fingers were symbols of their eternal love: rings that were carved from their wrist cuffs.

Right after the sun began to rise, Laurent called out messengers and declared: “King Damianos is my husband and the union of the two kingdom is done out of not only politics but also genuine feelings. One more wrong accusation towards, and I’d decapitate them. If they have doubts on my choice of husband, then they can visit the palace, and I’d show you why a lot of people look up to Damianos of Akielos.”

The message and the happenings from last night spread out like wildfire. Tapestries, stories and even paintings of the two kings of Verielos were all over the united kingdoms. All about how the two kings truly love each other.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's it! I just wanted to write something wherein it's Damen who need comforting because I want Laurent to talk a lot about how much he loved Damen, for once. I want to see how I'd be able to portray Laurent being the one who'd show affection. :3
> 
> Hope ya liked it!


End file.
